Selective switch mechanism.



WIM/8858:

A. V. MGPARTLAND.

' SELBCTIVE SWITCH MEGHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED M0120, 1909.

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Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

ATTUHWEYS A V. MOPARTLAND. SELEGTIVE SWITCH MEGHANISM.

AHLIUATI'ON FILED 13110.20, 1999. v

Patented 001'.. 17, 1911.

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WITNESSES: /N VEN TOR ATTRNYS coLuMmA PLANQGRAPH c0.,wAsmNGToN, D C.

ARTHUR V. MCPARTLAND, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SELECTIVE SWITCH MECHANISM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17,' 1911.

Application filed December 20, 1909. Serial No. 534,085.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR V. MCPART- LAND, a citizen of the United States, and a `resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Selective Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a device whereby the motorman on a car, as he approaches a switch leading to a plurality of different tracks, can operate a mechanism on the car which actuates the switch so as to divert the car in the direction in which he desires to go.

An object of this invention is to provide a device which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, inexpensive to manufacture, and positive and quick in its operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a switch-throwing mechanism i which, after having once been operated by the motorman and released, will automatically return to its normal, inactive position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a switch-throwing mechanism with 4 means for automatically raising the means operating thereon at the end of its active period.

These and further objects, together with the construction and combination of parts,

`i will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specilication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 through the front end of the car and through the switch mechanism on the ground; Fig. 2 is a bot tom plan view of the front end of the car; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the track and switch-operating mechanism with the cover plate removed; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the switch box.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of the device, 1 indicates the body of a car, for which is provided a truck 1, to which is secured in any well known manner a bracket 2. The bracket 2 is provided with a pivotal shaft 3, on which is pivotally supported a pair of bell crank levers 4 and 5.

Each of these bell crank levers has rotatably supported in one end thereof in any well known manner, conical disks or rollers 6 and 7. The opposite ends of the bell crank levers 4 and 5 are pivotally connected in any well known manner to links 8 and 9. The links 8 and 9 are in turn pivoted to horizontal rods 10 and 11, which are threaded through channels formed in the lower ends of levers 12 and 13. The levers 12 and 13 have inclined faces 14 and 15, which are adapted to engage collars 16 and 17 on the rods 10 and 11, whereby the levers 12 and 13 are adapted to operate the rods. The rearward motion of the rodslO and 11 is limited by means of collars 18 and 19, secured in any well known manner to their forward ends. That is to say, the movement of the levers 12 and 13 is limited by the ends of the slot in the car body 1, so that even if the rods 10 and 11 should be given a sudden push in one direction or the other by a quick movement of either of the levers, so as to tend to force the rods beyond the point of connection of the levers to the rods, the collars 18 and 19 would come in engagement with the opposite side of the levers to that which was in engagement at the time of movement, and thus prevent the rods from disengaging from the lever and from moving too far in either direction. The levers 12 and 13 are pivotally secured to the body of the car 1, and extend through slots 20 therein, and are provided at their upper ends with inclined treads 21, whereby they may be readily operated by the foot of the motorman. By depressing either of the levers 12 or 13 from the position indicated in the full lines in Fig. 1 to the dotted-line position, either the rod 10 or 11 is forced rearwardly, thereby swinging one of the disks downwardly into the dotted-line position indicated in Fig. 1.

In order to automatically return the disks 6 and 7 from the dotted-line position indicated in Fig. 1 to the full-line position, there is provided on each bell crank lever a spring 22, which is secured at its opposite end to an extension 23, connected in any well known manner to each of the links 8 and 9. The disk 6, in its depressed position, is adapted to engage in a slot 24 in a top plate 25 on a switch box 26. The disk 7, in its depressed position, is adapted to engage a slot 27 in the same top plate 25. The

switch box 26v is provided adjacent each of theslits 24 and 27 with iaring converging guides 28 and 29, which are adapted to direct the rollers or disks 6 and 7 intothe slots.

Within the switch box 26, there is provided a pair of levers 30 and 31, which are pivotally connected at 32 and 33 to the switch` box, and extend in a diverging manner toward the opposite end of `the switch box, where they are provided with bifurcated ends having slots 34 and 35, which engage pins 36 and 37 on a transverse rod 38. The rod 38 is pivotally connected in any well lmown manner to one or more switch points .39 on a track 40. at the junction of two or more branches. o

In order-that each of the disks 6 and 7 may be automatically forced out of the slots 24 and 27 when they have reached the end of their active travel, there are provided on each ofthe levers 30 and 31 inclined sloping cams 41 and 42, which are arranged in the path of the disks 6 and 7, so that these disks will readily ride on them and rise up out of the slots. i The operation of the 'device will be readily understood when taken in connection with the above description.' When the car approaches 'the junction of two branches, if the motorman should desire to go to the right, he will merely exert a pressure on the lever 12, forcing the upper end forward, and thereby. sliding the rod 10 rearwardly, thus depressing the disk 6 against the tension of the spring 22 until it is in the position ready to enter the slot 24 when it approaches the same. When the disk 6 is directed by the converging guides 28 into the slot 24, its cam surface will push against the sideof the lever 30, forcing it over, whereby the rod 38 is actuated to pull the switch point 39 over in such a position as to direct the car into the right-hand branch of the track.Y As soon as the pressure of the motormans foot onV the lever 12 is released, the spring 22 will automatically return the disk 6 to its'upper and inactive position. i If the motorman, however, should desire to go to the left, the other lever, 13, is operated, thereby depressl ing the disk 7, which will actuate the llever 31 to force the switch point in the opposite direction, permitting the car to travel "toward the left. i i

When it is not desired to use the device, the treads 21 can ,be removed, and inasmuch as the levers `13 do .not extend above the surface of the yfloor they will not be in the Way.

While I have described one embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific form or elements disclosed therein,'but desire to be protected in any changes, variations or modifications Imay make within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a track having a plurality of branches, of a switch located at the junction of said branches, a rod for operating said switch, a plurality of levers for operating said rod, a cover-plate for said levers having a plurality of slots therein, a car adapted to run on said track, a plurality of rollers adapted to enter said slots to operate said levers, said levers having means thereon adapted to force said rollers out of said slots, bell crank levers for supporting said rollers on said car, links pivotally connected to said bell crank levers, extensions on said links, rods connected to said links for depressing said rollers, levers pivotally connected to said car and supporting said rods and adapted to operate said rods, and springs connecting said extensions with said bell crank levers, whereby said rollers are automatically returned from their depressed position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a track having a plurality of branches, of a switch located at the junction of said branches, means for operating said switch, a plurality of levers diverging from each other to points of connection with said means, adapted to operate said means, a cover-plate having longitudinally-disposed slots therein extending at an angle to said levers and adapted to permit the insertion of'mechanism to operate said levers, and cams extending in opposite directions, secured to the outer sides of said levers and adapted to force said mechanism out of said slotsv after said mechanism has operated said levers.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a track having av plurality of branches, of a switch located at ythe junction of said branches, a rod for operating said switch, a plurality of levers having a pin-and-slot vconnection with said rod and converging toward each other to points of pivotal support, said levers having cams thereon, the surfaces of which incline upwardly in the longitudinal direction of said levers,and a cover-plate having a plurality of longitudinally-disposed slots extending at an angle to said converging levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` i ARTHUR VQMCPARTLAND.

Witnesses:

FRED C. LIMING, HERMAN IIINDERER.

- Copies of this patent may be obtainelirfor ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

